Mike Meyer

Rams Worked Out 10 Kickers To Replace Greg Zuerlein

The Rams will be without Greg Zuerlein for the rest of the season. Their Pro Bowl kicker, since placed on IR, will undergo back surgery on Thursday, Sean McVay said (via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com).

Zuerlein has been playing through a back injury all season, and McVay labeled it a herniated disk. The 29-year-old kicker aggravated the injury while sleeping the night before the Rams’ Week 15 game in Seattle. McVay said his kicker could barely stand on Sunday, and it affected his performance and Los Angeles’ game plan against the Seahawks.

Up next for Zuerlein will be a 12-week recovery timetable.

As for the replacement effort, Sam Ficken won quite the derby despite having no NFL kicking experience. A 2015 UDFA out of Penn State, Ficken took part in a 10-man kicker audition on Wednesday.

Veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer reports (on Twitter) the Rams worked out Roberto Aguayo, Dan Carpenter, Travis Coons, Andrew Franks, Garrett Hartley, Marshall Koehn, Younghoe Koo, Mike Meyer and Jason Myers. Two long snappers — Jeff Overbaugh and Drew Farris — and two punters-as-holders (Matt Wile and Austin Rehkow) were also on hand for this unique specialty showcase, per Balzer (on Twitter).

Carpenter and Hartley have extensive NFL experience — a combined 16 seasons’ worth — while Aguayo was selected in the second round only to become a workout journeyman by his second year. He auditioned for the Browns earlier this week and also could not procure the Rams’ kicker job, one that will feature playoff opportunities. Hartley has not kicked in a game since 2014, and Carpenter hasn’t kicked this season.

The Chargers cut Coons earlier this week, but he’s been in Los Angeles for a few weeks now after being the initial Nick Novak replacement for the Bolts. Myers hasn’t kicked since losing his Jaguars job to ex-Charger Josh Lambo, and Franks — a former Dolphin — hasn’t suited up for a 2017 contest either.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/17

Today’s practice squad updates:

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: WR Dres Anderson
  • Waived: WR KeVonn Mabon

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: OL Cameron Hunt
  • Placed on injured list: OL J.P. Flynn

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/17

Today’s practice squad updates:

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

NFL Workout Updates: 10/24/17

Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

  • LS Trent Gow (link)

Detroit Lions

  • WR Jake Kumerow (link)

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

Oakland Raiders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/17

Today’s practice squad updates:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Washington Redskins

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/11/17

Today’s practice squad updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: K Mike Meyer, DL Jonathan Woodard
  • Placed on injured list: TE Joshua Perkins

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

NFL Workout Updates: 9/15/17

The latest workouts from around the NFL (all links go to Twitter):

Cleveland Browns

  • DEs Ian Seau, Jhaustin Thomas; CBs De’Chavon Hayes, Marcus Sayles, JaCorey Shepherd; LB Garrett Sickels (links via Adam Caplan of ESPN)

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • WRs Montay Crockett, Tim Patrick; Ps Matt Darr, Jordan Gay, Richie Leone, Austin Rehkow; QB Jerod Evans, Joel Stave; PKs Andrew Franks, Josh Lambo, Mike Meyer; LS Colin Holba (link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union)

Los Angeles Rams

  • WRs Jaydon Mickens, Michael Rector, Kenneth Walker (links via Caplan)

Falcons Cut 14 Players

The Falcons are letting some players walk early as they get ready for the 53-man deadline on Saturday. The team announced the following cuts:

Taylor, a former sixth-round pick, is the son of Fred Taylor, the greatest running back in Jaguars franchise history. The Falcons picked him up in August after he was discarded by the Chiefs.

The Falcons will only carry two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets, so it appears that Matt Simms will follow Torgersen out the door at some point.

NFL Workout Updates: 10/4/16

We’re a quarter of the way through the regular season, and clubs are constantly updating their emergency lists of players. Let’s take a look at the latest reported auditions and visits, which we’ve divided by conference due to today’s sheer volume:

AFC

  • The Raiders took a look at linebackers Danny Lansanah and Tyrell Adams, according to Caplan (Twitter link). Oakland eventually settled on Perry Riley as its new linebacker.
  • Before he signed with the Browns’ practice squad, offensive lineman Mike Liedtke worked out for the Ravens and was scheduled to audition for the Jaguars, according to his agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). Baltimore also tried out veteran safety Shamiel Gary today, per Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Gary has also been linked to the Giants in recent days.
  • The Ravens didn’t stop there, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter link): Baltimore also worked out defensive backs Jeron Johnson and Ryan Murphy, linebackers Jamari Lattimore and Andy Mulumba, and guard Ian Silberman.
  • Former Liberty quarterback Josh Woodrum, former Tampa Bay wide receiver Kenny Bell, and long snapper Jon Akemon all worked out with the Chiefs today, according to NFL Draft Diamonds (on Twitter).
  • The Titans auditioned defenseive tackle Trevon Coley, wide receivers Donteea Dye and Wendall Williams, and defensive end Farrington Huguenin, tweets Balzer.

NFC